In NYPD spying, a Yippie legal battle echoes again

Barbara Handschu had tried to remove her name from the agreement that is her legacy.

More than a quarter century ago, after New York’s police were caught spying on Americans who were exercising their right to free speech, she and others filed suit to stop it. The outcome was an agreement to place limits on surveillance — the Handschu rules.

But then, in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, police said they needed more flexibility to protect the city. When the judge agreed to weaken the rules, Barbara Handschu tried unsuccessfully to strip her name from the guidelines.